Strings and Cables

This may have been asked recently, but I can't remember...

What is the longest you will leave strings and cables on your bow before getting new ones?
Do they stretch over time in storage?
Does it make much of a difference how often the bow is shot or not shot?
As long as there is not visible damage, they are good, right?

It really depends on how you take care of them.By that, i mean if you wax them regulary and dont leave the bow in any extreme heat. if you dont shoot the bow regulary you can probably get by by leaving them on the bow for 3 years under regular use. and it also depends on what material they are used of on how long they will last. 450 premium string material is a little thicker per strand and will hold up under the elements better than 452x cause those strands are quite a bit thinner for the added speed it gets you. hope this helps

3 years at the most but 2 years is probably a safer bet if it's been shot much.

One guy at league was actually asking the same question a few weeks ago and while we were all pulling arrows a couple ends later the cable broke and he came back to see his bow laying on the ground with a broken cable. He thought back and figured it had been 3 years since he had new strings on it.

1.Two to three years pending the amount of shots I put on them.
2. Yes they can, in the heat even more so.
3. To me I believe it does matter how many shots and the care given to the string.Wax your string and cable will help the life of them.
4.That is the tricky part, most strings today have a bit of serving on them and it can get damaged under there and the eye will not be able to view that area of the string, that's my opinion. I have seen some strings let go at the center serving area where the knock pinches from wear of on and off a lot. But very low percentage I have only seen two bows blow out there and one of them was mine and the string left it's mark on my wrist

I have a set that is three years on my hunting bow and they look OK. But I have a target bow I change every two season just because I have more shots on it. For me if I have let my bow sit for more than three months or more on them I do put mine on the press and go through the timing, checking cam lean, brace height, knock set to make sure everything is still the same. For me sometimes they have moved and other times they're the same and shoot fine. I even use a white out pen with a very fine tip and mark my cams on the side parallel with the limbs so I can tell just by looking at my cam to tell if my string has stretched more than the normal. I put a small dab on the side of my peep for I have had it get bump once in a indoor match and it cost me some X's.
You need a string & cable I bet someone on here would help you out..

The longest I've ever left a set of strings on a bow is my 1999 PSE Nova. It still has the original strings. However, I almost never shoot this bow. The strings have stretched out so that ATA is about 3/4" too much.

While there is no visible damage to these strings, I wouldn't let someone else shoot it. They seem ok, but I'd prefer to be on the safe side.

I should build new strings for it, but it's fun telling people how those old ones are holding up.

With any modern string material, a visual inspection will tell you whether a bow string is still safe to shoot. The string tension breaking point of BCY 452 is about 90 lbs. If your bow has 24 strands, that's 2,160 lbs (divided by 2 because the string is looped/split over the cam post) gets you 1080 lbs. If a 70 lb draw weight bow can generate about 200 lbs of tension from mechanical action of cams; that gives you a safety buffer factor of about 5 to 1.

Unless you see a break in the string, or severe fraying, the string is not going to snap.

However, a stretched string which has taken a set around the cams, will take your bow out of time and give you a lumpy draw. You can still shoot it without fear of the string letting go, but you'll have lost power and accuracy. If your bow's measurements are still on, or close to spec and draws smoothly - keep shooting.

I have had the cables on my hunting bow on since 2006 and its only 20 strands of 452. my hunter doesnt get shot that much cause I only use it for hunting. Yes they will stretch over time under tension. I believe it is shot cycles more then anything else determines when a set needs replaced. Vapor Fails will never be on any of my bows unless I buy a used one with them already installed. My shooter gets a new string every year and cables every other year. The string does most of the work, so I think cables with most bows should last about twice as long..

As a Custom string builder generally most people change theirs every 2 to 3 years. Unless they are Target shooters or heavy shooters. Fibers will tend to breakdown in the heat and over time. To be safe I would replace them if they are fuzzing or 2 to 3 years old.

As a Custom string builder generally most people change theirs every 2 to 3 years. Unless they are Target shooters or heavy shooters. Fibers will tend to breakdown in the heat and over time. To be safe I would replace them if they are fuzzing or 2 to 3 years old.

Hutch

It's nice to get a experts advice,Thanks Hutch good to see you back!!!!

I've learned that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is a piece of cake.

Here are some facts you might not know.
When ordering a custom string! Put a little thought into your order.
1. Speed or not (slower by more quiet)?
If you order a string the material makes a difference. But the one thing people forget, how many strands you have in your string makes a difference.
For instance: if I ordered a string made of BCY trophy Material. This material is able to be built with 20 - 24 strands. With less strands lets say 20, I will pick up some speed from the string. Reason less strands reduces friction and less friction the string can cut the air faster.
*standard strands on any string are usually the maximum strands.

2. So ask questions before you order. I would think of what purpose I am using the bow for (hunting, target, both) and decide on the string material and the strand count.

3.Older bows, some are not designed for speed. This is because they are not as high tech. But you can get a few more feet per second out of them. If you change a few things. Like the string material and the strand count.
* also the lengths of the servings were a lot longer than needed. Remeasure and shorten them, and let your string maker know the new measurements.

Center servings: here is where a lot of archer's miss the shot. Before I started building strings I thought the center serving had to be real tight. Almost to the point if you turned the arrow the string will move with it. Wrong! The arrow nock should fit on snugly, without force. Clip on clip off gently.
*In most cases when you get a manufactured string the center serving is too tight. After a few shots say 1000. The center serving wears and a sweet spot forms so the arrow nock fits perfectly. Problem! it thins the center serving. Which in turn lets the center serving shift or premature breakage.

Fixes: a tighter center serving, a smaller diameter center serving, a different arrow nock, or a light file with an emery board to the nock

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